The subject of the present invention is a method for regenerating a coke-deactivated hydrocarbon conversion catalyst. The catalyst comprises a combination of a nonacidic zeolite and at least one Group VIII metal component. More specifically, the present invention provides a specific catalyst carbon burn procedure designed to result in a regenerated catalyst possessing activity, selectivity, and stability characteristics quite similar to those observed in the fresh catalyst.
Catalytic composites containing zeolites are well known in the art and are commonly used in the conversion of a wide variety of hydrocarbons. Recently, the use of L-zeolites in combination with other catalytic components has been discovered to be an effective catalyst for converting light paraffinic hydrocarbons into C.sub.6 -plus aromatics. The C.sub.6 - plus aromatics produced in such a conversion process are valuable as they have a higher octane rating than the feedstock and are useful gasoline blending components. Additionally, the aromatics can be recovered from the product for further processing.
Hydrocarbon conversion catalysts typically become deactivated by deposition of carbon upon the catalyst and also through agglomeration of the previously dispersed catalytic components contained in the catalyst. The regeneration of such deactivated catalysts is an important aspect of many hydrocarbon conversion processes. As a result, many methods are known to regenerate catalysts, and even zeolite-containing catalysts. However, especially where zeolite catalysts are concerned, these methods more often than not do not result in the catalyst being returned to a level of activity that approaches that of the fresh catalyst.